80. THE WOODSMAN’S HANDBOOK. 
lf there are several species, the columns for breasthigh diameter 
and number of trees may be omitted, and the top diameter arranged 
vertically, a column for each species. The compass man keeps 
track of the distance paced, and makes a note of roads and streams 
that cross the strip, and of any other information required in the 
cruise. The strips, together with the roads, streams, and other 
features, may later be platted on a map. A separate tally sheet is 
used for each strip, or part of strip, for which a separate estimate is _ 
required. A new record is made, for instance, when a new water- 
shed is reached, when the compass direction of the strip is changed, 
or when a different forest type is encountered. If necessary, one 
man can work alone. | 
The records enable the determination of the contents of the logs 
by any desired log rule, the determination of the total number of 
trees, the average number of logs per tree, the number of trees or 
logs per thousand board feet,and the yield per acre. Oneof the 
advantages of the method is that each tree may be scaled for what 
it will yield, by discarding the crooked and defective logs. The 
only reduction necessary from the final total scale is a certain per- 
centage for hidden imperfections not apparent on the standing 
trees. 
In northeastern spruce forests one crew of two men can work 
over a strip 14 miles long ina day. If the strips are laid off one- 
fourth mile apart, this means a cruise of 300 acres per day. 
The method requires not only a knowledge of what constitutes 
a merchantable log, but also the ability to estimate diameters 
by eye. It requires a trained eye and can not be practiced by a 
novice. It is open to the further objection that it is very slow. 
Its chief advantage is that a volume table is not required, and it 
is equally applicable to all species; forms, and heights of trees. 
SYSTEMATIC PLOT METHOD. 
The principle of the systematic plot method is the same that 
underlies the strip methods. Compass lines are run at regular 
intervals, but instead of measuring a continuous strip, only a part 
of each strip is measured, in the form of plots spaced at regular 
intervals along the course. These plots are laid off by the eye, 
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